Boston Red Sox
“I would have liked [for Tracy] to live or die with me in that moment, but that’s the competitor I am.”
Sonny Gray was pulled after just 70 pitches in Game 2. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
October 1, 2026 | 7:07 AM
3 minutes to read
Red Sox Game 2 starter Sonny Gray did little to mask his disappointment on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Both due to Boston’s 2026 season coming to a close after a 9-2 loss to New York — and the early hook from Red Sox manager Chad Tracy that pulled the veteran starter after just 70 pitches.
“I would have liked to be trusted in that moment,” Gray declared after Boston’s loss on Wednesday.
When Tracy emerged from the dugout to pull Gray from his start, the 36-year-old righty had limited New York to one run — a solo shot from Luis Garcia Jr. — over 4.2 innings, striking out five and giving up five hits.
“I felt good, I felt crisp, I felt sharp,” Gray noted. “I was executing what I wanted to do. I’m frustrated for sure. I’m not ready for it to end. A lot of emotions, but frustration was definitely one.”
But with New York running through its batting order for a third time, Tracy opted to pull his starter with runners on first and third and two outs.
For the second game in a row, Tracy turned to reliever Erik Miller as the next arm up.
In Game 1, Miller took over for Payton Tolle (4.2 innings, five hits, one earned run) and immediately gave up a solo shot to Ben Rice.
On Wednesday, Miller relinquished an RBI single to Cody Bellinger — with that run charged to Gray.
Postgame, Gray was candid about his limited workload and the decision to pull him before he faced the heart of New York’s order for the third time.
“I think I’m the best pitcher in the American League going through the order a third time,” Gray said. “I think that’s a fact. I would have liked [for Tracy] to live or die with me in that moment, but that’s the competitor I am.
“I think you can probably ask the guys and I think they felt the same way. So, I felt strong, I felt confident, I felt convicted. But what can you do, you know?”
For what it’s worth, Willson Contreras refused to comment — doing a “lips sealed” motion — when asked by reporters about his thoughts on Gray’s early hook.
As Brian Barrett of The Ringer noted, opposing hitters batted just .180 against Gray in their third plate appearance against him during his 2026 starts — ranking 6th out of 117 qualified starters.
But Tracy instead opted to roll with another reliever in Miller, noting postgame that he wanted to chase a matchup against Bellinger with runs at a premium.
Still, choosing a reliever who relies heavily on a slider like Miller was also a curious choice — considering that Bellinger batted .435 with three home runs in 23 at-bats against sliders delivered by lefties this season.
Cody Bellinger
Sliders against lefties
10-23 (.435)
.826 SLG
3 home runs
Bellinger was 0-2 and Tracy went to get his lefty to throw him a slider
Gray was at 70 pitches
— Brian Barrett (@itsbrianbarrett) October 1, 2026
“We’re trailing, we’re struggling to score runs,” Tracy said. “And when you get in spots where you’re struggling to score runs and you’re already trailing, you feel like you’ve got to be aggressive and go. … Trying to be aggressive and create tough matchups. It just didn’t work out.”
It was a frustrating end for Gray, who remains uncertain about whether or not he’ll continue playing as he enters free agency this offseason. He was one of Boston’s top players this season — going 18-5 in the regular season with a 2.72 ERA.
“I don’t know what the future holds for me,” Gray noted. “I do know that I walked off that mound with my chest back and my chin up and I can definitely be proud that I left it all out there until the ball was taken out of my hands. I still left that mound with my chest up and my chin up and I can be proud of that.”
When asked if the Red Sox would still be a team he’d consider pitching for if he wants to continue playing, Gray replied: “I don’t know.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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